Thinking about buying a home but not sure what you can actually afford? Before falling in love with that perfect listing, take a few minutes to do an honest affordability check. In this guide, we walk you through a step-by-step process to figure out how much house fits your budget—factoring in income, debt, down payment, and today’s mortgage rates. You’ll learn how lenders calculate affordability, what hidden costs to watch for, and which free tools can give you clarity befor